Title: A New Beginning
Rated: PG-13 (Violence & Language)
Author: charismatic angel
Email: charismatic_angel@msn.com
Chapter Date: June 22, 2003
All the stuff you do not want to read but I have to say:
* sighs * I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Someone else owns the rights and characters to this series. You know the rest…(Please don't sue me)
Chapter 6:
After Kaoru got herself ready, she met Sano at the front entrance of the motel. They grabbed something to eat at a nearby restaurant. Once again Sano scarfed his food down like it was nothing and ate Kaoru's leftovers. Clearly, this man must have been raised by a pack of wolves, considering his manners.
When they finished Kaoru paid the ticket and Sano led the way towards the apartment. She had trouble keeping up since Sano was so much taller than her and took longer strides. In order to keep up she had to walk at a quick pace, which was leaving her tired and breathless.
"Yo missy, try to keep up!" Sano yelled back at her
"If you didn't walk so fast, maybe I could!" Kaoru shot back
"Hey kid, it's not my fault that you were born short!" he said laughing
Kaoru stopped in her tracks, as her face grew red.
"Stop calling me kid!!! I am not a kid!!! And I am not short either!!" she yelled to him as she clenched her fists.
"Sorry, my mistake." He said in a mocking voice
Kaoru clenched her fists tighter and let out an exasperated growl. Without warning she dodged towards Sano and pushed hard against his back. Not expecting her attack Sano tripped and lunged forward colliding into something or rather someone.
The other person fell to the pavement with a hard thud. Kaoru put her hand up to her mouth realizing what she had done. She peeked from behind Sanosuke's tall frame to see whom she knocked over. She saw a mass of red hair shaking back and forth and thought she heard him say "Oro?" Clearly, he didn't have a clue what hit him and was a bit disoriented.
Sano held out his hand toward the person and nervously scratched the back of his head with the other hand.
"Uhhh, sorry about that Kenshin." Sano said awkwardly.
The man grabbed Sano's hand as he brought himself up. This man was only a little taller than Kaoru. He dusted off his clothes and turned to look at Sano.
"No harm done Sano." As he shot him a friendly grin.
Kaoru, who was still standing behind Sanosuke, looked at the red haired man with intent. She noticed a nasty cut on his elbow that was beginning to bleed.
Kaoru cleared her throat.
"Umm, it looks like you hurt your elbow." She said pointing to the spot on his arm.
Kenshin turned his arm around to see that his elbow was bleeding. He looked back at the Kaoru noticing her presence.
Kaoru gazed into his violet eyes and was mesmerized by their beauty. For a moment, she thought she was seeing things, but his eyes were indeed a deep shade of violet. Red wisps of hair delicately framed his face. She felt a strange urge to go and touch the soft looking strands.
Kenshin stared into Kaoru's eyes and noticed they were a beautiful color of sapphire. Her eyes had a magical gleam to them. She was a small girl just a little shorter than him. Her face and skin were very delicate looking. Tendrils of hair escaped from her ponytail danced in the wind and settled against her head. An odd feeling came over him as he wondered what her hair would feel like against his hands.
She doesn't look like Sanosuke's type? He said to himself
Sano broke the disturbing silence and gave Kaoru a dirty look.
Kaoru snapped back to reality as she noticed Sanosuke's glare. Embarrassed for staring at a complete stranger she hid behind Sanosuke hiding the blush that flushed her face.
Kenshin nervously scratched the back of his head and said he had to get going. Sano stepped aside as Kenshin walked past them. He did not look back at Kaoru. She found herself disappointed that he didn't say anything to her let alone look as he walked past. She watched him walk away and noticed for the first time he had long hair. It was neatly kept in a ponytail behind the nape of his neck.
He is very handsome, she thought to herself.
Sano cleared his voice
"Yo missy, are you through gawking yet?"
"Huh?" she replied turning towards him
Sano grinned
"I saw the way you were looking at him. That look on your face was priceless!" he smirked. "You looked like a love sick girl!"
Kaoru glared at him
"I was not gawking! I was just thinking that it was very rude of him not to introduce himself or even say goodbye to me! Apparently, he must be one of your friends considering his lack of manners!" She shot back at him.
"Whatever." He said disbelievingly, "Next time I see him, I'll tell him how much you love him."
"You wouldn't?!" she gasped "That is ridiculous! She stammered, "I just met the guy! How can I be in love with him?!"
"Want to bet?" he said raising his eyebrow.
Kaoru let out a growl as she charged at Sanosuke, who turned around and began to run.
"Just wait until I get my hands on you!" she yelled running after him.
Sano looked back, "Man, I didn't think she could run this fast?"
Kaoru was gaining on him and there were only a few feet between her and Sano. She made a daring move and jumped onto his back. She wrapped her arm around his neck as she whacked him continuously over the head.
"Ow! OW! Stop I was only kidding! That hurts!" he yelled
"I'll teach you to make fun of me you dumb jerk!" she said as she continued to wail on him.
Kaoru pulled on his hair
"Ouch! No! Stop! Not the hair!!! I am sorry I didn't mean it!" he said pleadingly
Kaoru jumped off his back and Sano shook his head trying to recover from her attack.
"You got quite a hit there kid" as he grabbed his head and winced.
Kaoru smiled, "That'll teach you to tease me – Jerk!"
Where does this kid get her energy? He said to himself.
Sano looked around and saw they were where they needed to be.
"Well, do you want to come in?" he said, gesturing towards the door of an old looking building.
"This is it?" Kaoru asked quizzically.
"Yup, home sweet home." He said
The building looked a lot better than the hotel she stayed in, the other night. It looked old but surprisingly kept up. The brick wasn't as dirty as some of the other buildings and the neighborhood seemed to be quiet.
Sano walked up the stairs and opened the heavy looking door to the entrance.
"You coming?" he asked, looking down at Kaoru, who was still standing on the sidewalk.
Kaoru nodded and followed him inside. Once inside, she noticed a series metal mailboxes attached to the wall. Sano dug inside his pocket and brought out a key so he could unlock the door. He opened the door and motioned for Kaoru to follow him.
She examined a giant staircase and a hall that ran across to other apartments within the building. She gazed upwards trying to figure out how big the building really was. The inside wasn't too bad for such an old place.
"This way." Sano said, as she began to follow him up a series of steps.
"This isn't such a bad place." Kaoru said in a matter of fact tone. "I didn't expect you to own something like this?"
Sano laughed
"I won this place in a bet. You should have seen the place I lived in before this, it was a real dump. I got lucky you could say. The rent money keeps me from having to get a real job, and I can do whatever I want, whenever I want."
Somehow Kaoru wasn't shocked by any of this.
They walked up three flights of steps and Sano directed her to a door that opened to the third floor.
"This building is five stories. There are four apartments on each floor. The one that's available is right next to mine. I checked on it this morning and it seems the previous tenants already moved."
He took another key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He opened the door to reveal something Kaoru wasn't expecting. The place was filthy! Garbage was lying on the floor, the counter top, and in the sink. It looked like someone left in a hurry and didn't bother to pick up after him or herself.
"They skipped out before I got this months rent. I have a hard time keeping this one rented. I am not sure why?"
Maybe because this apartment was so filthy compared to the rest of the building, she said to herself.
If it weren't for the garbage and filth, the place wouldn't look half bad. It wasn't what she was used to, but it would have to do. The place was open except for the bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom was located to the right and the bathroom connected to her bedroom.
"I'll take it." She said firmly
"Since it's almost the end of the month and the place isn't clean I'll give you discount on the first months rent."
Kaoru thought his offer was fair. Her and Sanosuke negotiated the terms and she paid him for the first and next months rent.
"Hey, I didn't expect you to pay this minute." He said with a surprised look on his face. "Along with the next months rent also?"
"Listen Sano, you have done so much for me already. I owe you this money fair and square." She said
Sano shrugged his shoulders and said, "Whatever you say." And pocketed the money.
"It looks like I am going to have a lot of work ahead of me." She sighed, "Do you know where I can buy some items to clean this place?"
"Yeah, there is a small grocery store around the corner. If you go out the front door and take a right, you will see it at the end of the block."
Sano handed her the key to the front door and told her he would change the lock to her apartment by the night.
"Oh, by the way." Sano said before he left. "I have a friend who owns the Akabeko. If you needed a job I could talk with her. She always in need of help. The pay isn't bad either I hear."
"What kind of place is this Akabeko?" Kaoru asked doubtingly.
She wouldn't be surprised if it were some cheap floozy house.
"The Akabeko happens to be a night club. It's a popular spot in this area." He said
"What kind of stuff would I have to do?" still doubting him
"Geeze! You sound as if it were a whore house!" He said
"Considering you're suggesting it, I wouldn't doubt it." She laughed
"I'll forget you said that." As he brushed the last comment off. "Tae is a very good friend of mine and she runs the club. Most of the girls are either bartenders or cocktail servers. I am not sure what other stuff you they do, but you could ask her in person if you like."
"Hmm, I should look into it." She said
"I can take you there tomorrow and you can meet Tae for yourself. I better get going if I am going to change that lock before tonight. See ya later kid." He turned around and walked out.
Kaoru looked around, "Where should I start?"
That's it for Chapter 6!
Finally, Kenshin appears! Yeah! Lol. I really enjoy writing this fic. Your reviews are awesome! I get so excited when I check my email and see a new review pop up! Thank you guys!
Chapter 7 should have will have a little more of Kenshin than this one, so stayed tuned!